Thanks for sharing this. I feel like our professional lives are so similar, and as a marketing person, it's clear to me you have tons of experience. I often wonder how you put out so much great content AND do it in a way that feels authentic. In some way, maybe your editor is helping you create that? I agree that having an editor you regularly work with helps you get outside of your own head.
I like the list you put together, too -- I recently organized my sections, and it made me feel so much better because I realized I only write about a few topics that fall into certain themes. The "theme" that gets the most views are stories I post from other people and sometimes my own chapters from my memoir, and stuff I've learned about life through writing.
Ahh great to find someone on here writing on their journey to memoir ! Subscribed to your page and read your latest piece. What is your memoir about? I’ve recently started sharing the journey on writing mine now it’s gaining momentum, especially the bits that no one tells you about! Great to connect with you on here.
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m on my way to creating a “hell yes” response! Great to hear of someone else’s journey along that road - means I’m on the right track
As a list maker, this met me where I am. Thank you. I *think* I've got most of these things covered in regard to cohesive presentation, but now, at least, I can look at them one-by-one and think about them effectively without feeling like I'm missing something essential. This whole series has been such a gift, Amanda. Truly a tour de force.
Your comment that the marketing piece has always felt like autistic masking (and counterpoint that there’s another way) is kind of blowing my mind:).
In some ways I feel like my writing background is the inverse of the editing background you describe: it’s consisted entirely of diving deep into cultivating my authentic voice, through a creative writing undergrad program (partially completed for financial reasons) and a writing-intensive graduate degree in theology. I excelled in these spaces, but have never had the courage or confidence to build a public face for my writing. My day job was/is nursing, so writing has always been divorced from my pragmatic, public participation in life.
As an undiagnosed PDA autistic person with a lot of undiagnosed trauma, I’ve spent most of my life believing I’m too weird to have a public voice. And waiting for some sort of miracle--for god himself--to make space for my voice in the world. Building a platform for my writing that isn’t a miracle--where I’m just one voice among hundreds of thousands of others--is an enterprise of hope that I belong to the human community.
It’s surprising to learn how marketing/branding fits into this attempt at hope. But the way you talk about it, weaving it through your own fears and masking, helps me see that. It’s definitely an area I feel like I’m not ready to face, but it’s also at the heart of what I am ready for: building a public interface for my writing.
I really appreciate the “I know this is exquisitely hard but you can do it!” energy you bring to this space. Your work here has been really valuable for me.
I've had some branding envy about The Editing Spectrum, especially the yellow sun all that goes with it so was fascinated to read about your process to arrive here. Well done Amanda! I would say you nailed it (fwiw I am also a fan of your beloved Impressionist paintings so hope you keep them coming!).
You have done such a service for your readers by taking the time to write this series. Saying thank you seems like I’m not giving you enough gratitude. You have obviously really worked through a LOT of things, just as you told us, on your journey to becoming the writer that shows up in our in-boxes. I resonated with you so much when you wrote of how much writing requires of us beyond just “plumbing the depths of our lived experiences.” It almost makes me wonder why I’d ever want to be a writer! But I am one. Writing is life for me. If I have readers, that is a true bonus. You have enlightened me so much in creating more of gestalt experience for those who subscribe to my newsletter. Again, thank you!
I'm not sure how to translate "hell yes" into my sedate British English, but I feel I want to say it. There is so much that is admirable here, both in terms of process and result. You have shown incredible resourcefulness and it a talent to be able to pick the right collaborator as you obviously have with Erin. Finally, I just love the generosity of spirit that drove you to write these essays.
Thanks for sharing this. I feel like our professional lives are so similar, and as a marketing person, it's clear to me you have tons of experience. I often wonder how you put out so much great content AND do it in a way that feels authentic. In some way, maybe your editor is helping you create that? I agree that having an editor you regularly work with helps you get outside of your own head.
I like the list you put together, too -- I recently organized my sections, and it made me feel so much better because I realized I only write about a few topics that fall into certain themes. The "theme" that gets the most views are stories I post from other people and sometimes my own chapters from my memoir, and stuff I've learned about life through writing.
Ahh great to find someone on here writing on their journey to memoir ! Subscribed to your page and read your latest piece. What is your memoir about? I’ve recently started sharing the journey on writing mine now it’s gaining momentum, especially the bits that no one tells you about! Great to connect with you on here.
True 🥰
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m on my way to creating a “hell yes” response! Great to hear of someone else’s journey along that road - means I’m on the right track
Hell yeah
As a list maker, this met me where I am. Thank you. I *think* I've got most of these things covered in regard to cohesive presentation, but now, at least, I can look at them one-by-one and think about them effectively without feeling like I'm missing something essential. This whole series has been such a gift, Amanda. Truly a tour de force.
Love lists 🙌
Your comment that the marketing piece has always felt like autistic masking (and counterpoint that there’s another way) is kind of blowing my mind:).
In some ways I feel like my writing background is the inverse of the editing background you describe: it’s consisted entirely of diving deep into cultivating my authentic voice, through a creative writing undergrad program (partially completed for financial reasons) and a writing-intensive graduate degree in theology. I excelled in these spaces, but have never had the courage or confidence to build a public face for my writing. My day job was/is nursing, so writing has always been divorced from my pragmatic, public participation in life.
As an undiagnosed PDA autistic person with a lot of undiagnosed trauma, I’ve spent most of my life believing I’m too weird to have a public voice. And waiting for some sort of miracle--for god himself--to make space for my voice in the world. Building a platform for my writing that isn’t a miracle--where I’m just one voice among hundreds of thousands of others--is an enterprise of hope that I belong to the human community.
It’s surprising to learn how marketing/branding fits into this attempt at hope. But the way you talk about it, weaving it through your own fears and masking, helps me see that. It’s definitely an area I feel like I’m not ready to face, but it’s also at the heart of what I am ready for: building a public interface for my writing.
I really appreciate the “I know this is exquisitely hard but you can do it!” energy you bring to this space. Your work here has been really valuable for me.
I've had some branding envy about The Editing Spectrum, especially the yellow sun all that goes with it so was fascinated to read about your process to arrive here. Well done Amanda! I would say you nailed it (fwiw I am also a fan of your beloved Impressionist paintings so hope you keep them coming!).
Thank you for this series! It's been very helpful!
You have done such a service for your readers by taking the time to write this series. Saying thank you seems like I’m not giving you enough gratitude. You have obviously really worked through a LOT of things, just as you told us, on your journey to becoming the writer that shows up in our in-boxes. I resonated with you so much when you wrote of how much writing requires of us beyond just “plumbing the depths of our lived experiences.” It almost makes me wonder why I’d ever want to be a writer! But I am one. Writing is life for me. If I have readers, that is a true bonus. You have enlightened me so much in creating more of gestalt experience for those who subscribe to my newsletter. Again, thank you!
I'm not sure how to translate "hell yes" into my sedate British English, but I feel I want to say it. There is so much that is admirable here, both in terms of process and result. You have shown incredible resourcefulness and it a talent to be able to pick the right collaborator as you obviously have with Erin. Finally, I just love the generosity of spirit that drove you to write these essays.
Maybe "hell yes" could also be "by jove, this bloke's writing about stuff I love"... ;)
And thank you. You're the loveliest. ☀️
I love 'by jove" 😅 Very PG Wodehouse!